PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 



29 



Fro. 10. — A Vicious, Treacherous Nature. 



desert, and so constituted as to carry within himself a supply of wa- 

 ter sufficient to last for many days. 



Not only do we see here special families, demonstrating this 



principle most strikingly, but 

 such subdivisions of each as 

 adapt them more perfectly for 

 special uses. Now the horse, 

 which is by far the most noble, 

 valuable, and useful of all the 

 domestic animals, in the man" 

 agement of which we are spe« 

 daily interested, shows this. to a 

 wonderful degree in size, dis- 

 position, and intelligence. For 

 slow, drudging work, we have 

 the coarse-grained, patient, 

 heavy cart or plow horse, while 

 for quick, long-continued exer- 

 tion, we have the lithe thoroughbred, with the conformation of the 

 greyhound, capable, if necessary, , of running with the fleetriess of 

 the wind. From these extremes we have illimitable modifications, 

 adapting them the rriore perfectly to the various requirements of 

 man. Now, it is clear that the nervous, energetic racer or thor- 

 oughbred would be 

 entirely out of place 

 for the cart or plow, 

 and the coarse- 

 grained cart or plow 

 horse for the quick, 

 active exertion of 

 speedy travel'; and 

 that to make each 

 most useful he must 

 be employed for such 

 work only as nature 

 best fits him for. 



Dependent upon these physical conditions are others that have 

 a still more important bearing upon the success of our efforts, be- 

 cause they are necessarily more obscure, and we are compelled to 

 study them more carefully to win success, namely, the intelligence 

 and disposition of horses. 



To illustrate my meaning in part : It is clear that some horses 



Fro. 11.— Portrait of a Noted Vicious Horse. 



